~ Hockey for Fans and Players of Color

“Soul on Ice” documentary debuts Wednesday on NHL Network

After the black hockey history movie “Soul on Ice: Past, Present & Future” had its U.S. premiere in Washington, D.C., last month, a lot of you contacted me to ask when will the general public be able to see the film.

Answer: This Wednesday.

First-time filmmaker Damon Kwame Mason’s hockey labor of love will air Wednesday, Feb. 24, in the U.S. on cable’s NHL Network at 8 p.m. EST (folks in other time zones, check your local listings). The network will air an encore presentation on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. EST.

The film chronicles the joy and the pain experienced by black players, from members of the ground-breaking Colored Hockey League in the Canadian Maritimes from 1895 to 1925 to star-studded roster of players currently skating for National Hockey League teams.

The film was shown at screenings in Canada before Bettman and Leonsis brought it across the border and hosted the private screening in Washington last month. The event also featured a Q&A session with O’Ree, Mason, and ex-NHLers-turned TV hockey analysts Kevin Weekes and Anson Carter.